


winter's past

by Draya09



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: POV Neil Josten, mention of a death but it's just in passing, neil's thoughts on winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-28
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2019-02-07 23:38:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12851988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Draya09/pseuds/Draya09
Summary: Neil and his thoughts of winter's past.





	winter's past

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy!!!

Neil and winter didn’t get along very well. The snow was pretty but a hassle to live with and just made life difficult. Some people loved it he knew but for him it was another thing that just caused problems.

Winter’s had been hard on the run. Neil and his mom had to make due with very little all the time. That was difficult even in summer with it being warmer and easier to get food.

During that first winter on the run things were especially challenging. Neil’s mom had been frantic with worry and always telling him to remember his new name and story,to be alert at all times.

Mary and Neil were still learning how to survive off the cheapest things they could get. They got caught that first year far too many times from stupid mistakes. They got better at hiding as time went by and identities slipped away. They learned from every mistake and made sure to never repeat them. 

Making their way from city to city they never stayed long.They eventually made it to someone who got them fake passport’s good enough to get them a ticket out of the country. 

By the time they had snuck into Europe and seen Stuart they had learned quite a bit. Mary had insisted they leave as soon as possible because she was sure Nathan had people watching for them at Stuart’s. As the first snow fell that winter Mary and Neil left London for somewhere better to hide.

Getting a train from London to Scotland he watched the snow fall. He saw it swirling in the wind as they passed through. The snow looked so beautiful when the moon was shining. Nothing was better than staring out a window and dreaming of better worlds as Mary slept and the snow fell. Neil felt hope seeing the white snow covering everything and wished the peace he felt would last.

The town in Scotland lasted three weeks before Mary wanted to leave. She was positive that Nathan’s men were right behind them.

Germany in the winter was cold. It wasn’t easy to get a plane ride to Germany with the fake passports but they were lucky enough to not get caught.The flat they rented had a broken heater and stayed freezing at all times. Sitting in front of the small fireplace with a book on learning German was the warmest he got. Mary would sit with him and quiz him on German until he could pass as a native.

After a run in with Lola left Neil needing stitches and Mary with a broken arm they had to leave fast.They made their way from Hamburg toward’s the Austrian border.They stayed in places where they wouldn’t stand out any and moved around every few weeks.They went all over Germany trying to outrun Nathan.

As the leaves fell and the wind got colder they got closer to Switzerland. To save money and avoid people Mary picked out a small one bedroom cabin in the woods of Switzerland. The cabin was miles from the closest person or town. When the snow came and got to be a couple feet deep they stayed bundled up with as many blankets and layers as they could. The snow was still pretty Neil thought but he just wished it would hurry up and go away.

The small bed Mary and Neil shared was the warmest they got because of the body heat.When the snow let up enough they went to town and got enough food to last a few weeks. That night someone must have followed them because five men broke in trying to get them. Mary and Neil made it out with only small injury’s but it had been close. One of the men had been about to fire a shot that would have hit Mary. Neil reacted without thinking and had grabbed his gun and fired. The bullet hit the man in his chest and gave Mary and Neil the time to escape.

 

Slowly they made the long hike to get a way out of Switzerland. The wood’s always seemed too quiet and dark. At night it would get even colder,the wind howling all around them and the dark hiding anything that could be watching.Neil couldn’t help but feel like eye’s were following him where ever he moved. Every time his eye’s closed he just pictured the man he killed laughing and telling him how much he was like his father. The wood’s seemed like they never ended and Neil was sure they would freeze to death or starve before Nathan could get them. They finally made it to a small town after three weeks.

 

After they rested for a day they left Switzerland for France. The French language was easier for Neil to pick up then the German had been. The small place they stayed in was Neil’s favorite. It was small and located over a bakery witch caused pleasant smell’s to drift into their flat. After three month’s had passed Mary decided to head back toward’s the states.

 

Being back in America after three years drifting around Europe was strange. Neil had to spend some time practicing speaking without an accent slipping through those first months.

 

Winter’s came and went each one bringing challenges along with it.The boy who watched snow falling outside a train window in Europe all those years ago had long since given up hoping for peacefulness.

 

When Neil was in his second year as a fox he watched the other’s. As they got more and more excited by the colder weather and small flurries of snow. Seeing Dan and Matt curled up together watching movies while Renee and Allison cuddled under a warm throw. Nicky went crazy decorating their dorm’s and always singing carols. Kevin even got into the festivities by telling anyone who would listen about the history of traditions. Aaron and katelyn started joining in with the foxes more to Andrew’s displeasure. Andrew always had a huge thing of hot chocolate with marshmallows overflowing in hand. He also kept sucking on candy canes and making them as sharp as possible.

Seeing his messed up little family enjoying themselves and having fun together was wonderful. One morning when a light snow started nicky convinced everyone to go out and play in it. Everyone but Andrew took little convincing and ran to be the first one’s out the door. Andrew stopped Neil before he could join them and motioned towards the roof. 

Getting the door opened they headed to the edge where they always sat. Sitting on the roof with the wind blowing Andrew light’s up a cigarette angling it so that Neil can smell the smoke. Looking down Neil can make out the rest of the team on the ground. Allison and Renee are walking around with their gloved hands intertwined. Matt is twirling Dan around and the others are running around. 

 

Andrew holds the last of the cigarette towards Neil after watching Neil take a puff he throws it off the roof. Neil can hear laughter from the others in the background and can’t help but smile. He thinks of the years where he gave up on finding peace and comfort,of feeling safe. He thinks back to young him on a train wishing for this very thing. Smiling he turns towards Andrew and let’s out a small laugh at Andrew glaring at him. Andrew’s cheeks are flushed and the tip of his nose is red. Andrew glares at him a few more second’s before leaning in and quietly asking yes or no. A soft yes and then Andrew’s lips are on his and Neil thinks that this moment right here is worth everything.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading hope you liked it.Sorry if it's not the best but i haven't been writing much lately.Leave any comments and things you liked or disliked.


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